“In Australia today, 5.5 percent of the population are Chinese. Most are proudly Chinese and have a strong loyalty towards China. They are also Australians and proud to be a citizen”.

How can they be both? Answer: they can't. They cannot be loyal to a Communist country and Australia.

A close Chinese mate of the previous China-obsessed WA Labor premier recently said that “we overseas Chinese” (not Australian,still Chinese) punt for the Motherland in Australia.

“Espionage has become blurred today”. No. ‘Blatant’ is the correct word. And it's all the fault of our useful idiot political class. Mass immigration of people from a Communist country known to want control of Australia and the Pacific is as stupid as it gets.

Donald Horne wrote of the “Lucky Country”. Zimmermann and Moens wrote of the “Unlucky Country”.

The next book should be titled “The Stupid Country”.

Yes, I believe this works both ways. These so-called spies are a useful source of backdoor communication/intel.

They get and they give.

It's not just Aussie pollies that receive good intel, but our military and intel operatives/foreign observers.

We are a very trusted ally and offer a place to base Marines, GIs, Nuclear subs and bombers!

Moreover, our beefed-up military might makes us a bit more than a very junior partner.
Alan B.

Ttbn, It's not Australian born Chinese who are the problem but recent arrivals.

We know this by the number of Australian born Chinese that are cooling their heels, without charge, in Chinese prisons.

Some of my best friends are ethnic Chinese.

I believe it's fair to say they are among the most patriotic Australians and ready to die for Australia and against China!

Not something one can say for the average white Australian?
Alan B.

I hope the name gets out. It used to be called treason.

Define 'Australian'
Are we talking about the indigenous population?
Of course not!
Are we talking about the descendants of Anglo Celtic convicts shipped to Australia?
Are we talking about the Anglo/Celtic/Saxon gentry that emigrated to Australia and became the de facto ruling class?
Those descendants of such that bestowed the privilege of being 'Australian' to the the Europeans that were enticed to come to Australia?
The early Chinese were not extended that privilege because after all they were Chinese, and they were mere sugar cane workers.
Strong cultural identity but not though of as real people at all.
After all 'fried rice and spring rolls' is no replacement for meat and potatoes

Today we have Aussie yobs and peasants talking about who is entitled to be Australian.
Culturally lobotomized individuals rabbiting on about their rights and why the economy is where it is and not where they think it should be during the ads in sports broadcasts on their screens.
Accusing others of questionable conduct when Guantanamo is still a going concern.
Refusing to stand on their own and chose to be a vassal state instead.
Australians are identified in the world as those holding the toilet paper while UK/US are crapping over everything.
The US creates a storm in the name of a US citizen, Australia just hands their citizens over saying 'sorry', you can have him.
Assange being a prime example.
'Guts' is not a word associated with Australians in the world today.
Innocuous 'fun in the sun' people
We hand out medals to to soldiers with questionable behavior 'cos Austraya needs heroes and we've run out of them other than those that play cricket or football

If I were in trouble o/seas the last people I'd call is the Australian Embassy.
I'd probably get more assistance from the Chinese and I'm of Italian descent.
As Dracula said to his minion, being my servant comes at a price of my choosing.

Of course they cannot be both loyal to China and loyal Australians at the same time. Chinese remain Chinese through countless generations and continent shifting. We are indeed 'The Stupid Country' for allowing such mass immigration from a country that is most certainly not our ally and is the most racist country on Earth.

Looks like Assange should've been an Ambassador rather than labelled a criminal.
Beyond that, all this Chinese spy stuff seems a little ridiculous, considering we sold the farm and everything else to them.

Yes, they all but own the farm and our very economic sovereignty.

As for that bail jumping, criminal and accused rapist, Assange. It remains, do the crime, do the time.

Alternatively, he could be offered exile in Putin's Russia, as a permanent resident and with that, the cancelation of his Australian citizenship/passport. Freedom and out of jail for Putin's mate!

Nobody is above the law, not even the (former) commander in chief of the world's mos6t powerful military.
Alan B.

The guy is a traitor and Australians have a right to know who it is. Maybe the ASIO boss spoke out because of fear that the plug would get pulled on the investigation?

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There is a report on espionage in the US that could throw some light on the same problem in Australia. Here are a few interesting points from the 135-page American Defense Personnel Security Research Center report that covers the 54 years 1947-2001 :

• From its founding in 1917, the Soviet Union conducted a determined espionage program in the United States that attempted to recruit American citizens to spy for the Soviets.

• Over the period from 1947 through 2001, twice as many Americans volunteered to commit espionage as were recruited into it

• Among 150 American spies, 83% were native-born, while 17% were naturalized citizens. This represents four times the proportion of naturalized citizens in the U.S. population as a whole. Naturalized citizens were 3.8% of the population

• Most American spies have been white males younger than 30

• Almost half (46%) of known American spies had only a high school education or less

• Almost equal numbers of civilians and members of the military have spied: 77 civilians and 73 military

• A majority of military spies have come from the upper enlisted ranks

• Among civilian spies, one-fourth have been employees of government contractors

• Americans most consistently have cited money as the dominant motive for espionage, and over time money has increased in predominance among motives

• Of individuals who professed a single motive for espionage, one-fourth of civilians but three-fourths of members of the military claimed that they had spied for money

• Among volunteer spies, disgruntlement with the workplace was cited as a significant motive: nearly one-fifth of volunteers with a single motive said they had spied from disgruntlement

• Among those Americans recruited into espionage by a foreign intelligence service, all but one individual succeeded in transmitting information

• Americans who succeeded in transmitting information were older, better educated, more often civilians, and more likely to be married than those who were interrupted in an attempt at spying.

.

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Here is Mike Burgess, Director-General of ASIO’s Annual Threat Assessment 2024 :

http://www.asio.gov.au/director-generals-annual-threat-assessment-2024

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We know that one spy was/is a member of a former politician's family. And under deep cover. So deep that the news media cannot expose this traitor!
Alan B.

Someone who left Parliament in 2018, as long as it was before JUNE 2018, is possible.

See "In June 2018, the Australian Parliament passed legislation, which criminalises foreign interference and strengthens our ability to successfully prosecute acts of espionage National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Act 2018."

Source: http://www.education.gov.au/guidelines-counter-foreign-interference-australian-university-sector/templates-and-tools/australian-government-legislation-and-codes#toc-national-security-legislation-amendment-espionage-and-foreign-interference-act-2018

Hello Alan B, Banjo, Fester, Armchair Critic and Cody

Why has Mike Burgess decided on a highly political aspect of Security now?

Fact is 58yo Mike's standard 5 year stint as Director-General ASIO is ending on 16 September 2024 (or even 30 June 2024) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Burgess_(intelligence_chief)

So Mike can afford to be (and is rightly) outspoken about some of our "esteemed" ex and even current politicians being in the pay of China.

Politicians are not immune from the shame and even legal sanctions that treason brings.

Mavs